Method and means for packaging textile products



March 26, 1957 R. G. RUSSELL ET AL 2,785,637

' METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING TEXTILE PRODUCTS Filed Nov. 1, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS RoBER-T G. Russau. IECHARD H.BRAUTIGAM March26, 1957 R. e. RUSSELL ETAL 8 METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGING TEXTILEPRODUCTS v 2 SheaiS-Sheetfi Filed Nov. 1,1955

INVENTORS .ROBER T G. RussE LL RICHAR H. BRAUTIGAM BY 2 g AT 'TYS.

l 2,786,537 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 METHOD AND MEANS FOR PACKAGINGTEXTILE PRODUCTS Robert G. Russell, Granville, Ohio, and Richard H.Brautigam, Anderson, S. C., assignors to wens-Cor-= ning FiberglasCorporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 1, 1955, Serial No. 544,112

Claims. (Cl. 242-18) 'This invention is related to the collection ofcontinuous textile products and more particularly to method and meansfor high speed packaging of textile products such as strands, yarns,slivers and rovings.

The collection of textile products such as strands, yarns, and the likehas been developed into a specialized field .of technology over a numberof decades during which time speeds of packaging have of necessityconstantly increased because of the increasing rates of speed at whichmaterials can be produced and processed. Production and processingspeeds, however, have increased in recent years at such rapid rates thatconventional collection and packaging methods and apparatus are in manyinstances inadequate. For example, continuous filament products ofmaterial such as multi-filament continuous glass strands can be and arebeing produced at rates in the order of 15,000 feet per minute, withunrealized speed potentials in the order of 50,000 feet per minute andmore. Conventional packaging equipment is totally incapable of matchingsuch speeds.

In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a new method and means whereby textile productssuch as continuous multi-filame'nt stands may be collected intoconveniently handleable packages at collection rates far in excess ofthe capabilities of apparatus heretofore available for such purposes.

One difliculty presented by prior art methods and apparatus forpackaging textile products has been that at least some components of theapparatus are usually required to move at linear speeds equal to thelinear speed of collection of the product being packaged. With everincreasing speeds of collection a requirement, components moving at thelinear speeds of collection are subjected to considerable wear and othermechanical abuse to the extent that high speed linear movement presentsa mechanical limitation within practical ranges of engineeringapplication.

In the light of these facts it is another object of the presentinvention to provide a method and means for collection of textileproducts such as continuous strand and yarns wherein the mechanicalelements are combined in such a way as to eliminate the need for theirlinear movement at rates as high as the linear rate of collection of theproduct.

It has been found that the above can be attained according to thepresent invention by collection of the products on a drum-type winder orcollection surface when loops of the product are first formed and thendeposited over the collection tube, which upon rotation reduces the sizeof the loops to tighten them in snug relation on the collection tube.That is, a textile product such as a strand when formed into a series ofloops encircling a rotating collection surface, such as that of acylinder, can be collected into a package if the cylinder is rotated inthe direction of encirclement of the strand at a rate such that itdiminishes the diameter of the loops to a snug or tight association withthe cylinder and thereby form a package thereon. It is preferred thatthe loops introduced in surrounding relation over the cylindricalcollection surface be non-rotating in order to establish a higherdifferential in speed between the strand and the surface of thecylindrical collection means.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the elements of theapparatus effecting high speed collection of the textile products movethrough much less distance than the length of material collected.

These and other objects and features or" the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an assembly for forming continuousfibers of glass in which a newly formed strand is collected into apackage on cylindrical winding apparatus according to the principles ofthe present invention; I

Figure 2 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the presentinvention wherein a continuous strand pulled from fiber-formingapparatus by coacting wheels is packaged in cylindrical windingapparatus;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration showing how loops of acontinuous strand introduced over cylindrical collection means can bewound tightly over a cylinder even though the drum may be rotating at aperipheral speed considerably less than the linear speed of collectionof the product;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of thepresent invention wherein a pe -type spinner is utilized to form andintroduce loops of a newly formed strand to a drum-type collection unit;and

Figure 5 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the inventionwhich utilizes a peg-spinner to form loops for introduction directlyonto a packaging tube.

Although the present invention is described in relation to the formationof strands of continuous glass fibers, it will be understood thatalthough described in such rela tionship, the novel aspects of theinvention have broader application to the packaging of strand-likeproducts, and in this sense have application to packaging of strand-likeproducts generally regardless of the material composition of theproducts.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail:

Figure 1 shows a source of molten glass such as a melting tank 10 havinga feeder 11 provided with a plurality of orifices therein from whichstreams of the molten material flow for attenuaion into continuousfibers 12. The continuous fibers are gathered over a size-applicatinggathering member 13 having a supply tube 17 associated therewith whichfeeds sizing fluid to a trough-like channel in the gathering memberinclined downwardly toward the fibers to provide the fibers gatheredthereover with sufiicient sizing fluid to integrally bind and lubricatethe fibers against abrasive interaction. The fibers, upon beinggathered, form a strand 16 which is pulled by a suitable annularpneumatic blower 14 supplied with air under pressure by an inlet conduit15. The size of the blower and the pressure of the gas supplied theretois arranged to be such as to pull the strand at high speed and to throwit downwardly in a straight linear path to a position where a pair ofjet-type blowers 18 and 19 acting in conjunction with a cylindrical tubeor drum 20 inclined to the path of the strand can operate upon thestrand to form loops 21 on the inner periphery of the cylindrical drum.The jet blowers 18 and 19 are inclined toward the internal periphery ofthe drum 20 from a position outside one end, of the drum and slightlytangentially thereto so that the air introduced to the internalperiphery thereof acquires a forward moving swirling action in thecylinder. This action causes the strand to acquire a helicalconfiguration comprising a series of loops 21 on the inner periphery ofthe drum Ztl. The strand in its curvilinear form is also blown forwardlyin the drum by the air emitted from the blowers l3 and 19. That is, upononce being formed, the loops are moved forwardly away from the blowersgenerally coasially with the drum.

A coilet-type collecting drum 22 having a collecting tube 23 mountedthereon is arranged to be reciprocated back and forth within the spacebounded by the cylindrical drum 2?) from the end opposite to that fromwhich the strand is introduced. The collection tube is accordingly ofdiameter less than the inner periphery of the cylindrical churn 2%, thuspermitting loops formed in the drum 20 to surround the collection tubeand to be collected one after another by rotating collection tube in thedirection in which the strand is wound about the tube, therebydiminishing the size of the loops and drawing them into snugrelationship onto the collection tube 23.

The speed ofrotation of the collection tube 23 toeffect collection ofthe looped strands by this arrangement need not be as rapid as would benecessary to wind the same length of strand snugly onto the collectiontube directly from a straight path of the strand. This fact isillustrated in Figure 3 where a collection tube 5% of diameter D-l :hichwhen rotated in a clockwise direction will, in effect, peel or collect astrand 52 from the internal periphery of a loop forming drum 53 havingan internal diameter D-2, and in doing so is only required to movethrough a peripheral or linear distance equal to C-2 minus C-l whichcorresponds to the difference in circumferential dimension of circleslaving diameters D-1 and 13-2, respectively. That is, in order for thecollection tube "59 to wind the strand 52, it need not move through afull peripheral distance of C2 to collect a length of strand C2 thereon,but rather is only required to move through a distance of C2 minus C4,the difference between the circumferences of the interior of drum 51 andthe-exterior of collection tube 50. This is accomplished by reason ofthe fact that the loops 21 are preformed before being wound on thecollection tube 54). Thus, it is possible to wind the strand on thecollection tube at a much greater rate than the rate at which thesurface of the collection tube itself moves. This feature, it is to benoted, is accomplished in such a way that other parts in the loopforming and collection system also do not move at linear rates of speedas great as that at which the strand is collected.

By way of example, strands can be collected in this manner at velocitiesin the order of 20,900 feet per minute or more while the peripheralcollection surface is moving at linear velocities of only l0,000 feetper minute. Still further in this regard, if the diameter of the strandloop to be collected is twice the diameter of the collection tube onwhich it is to be wound, the collection tube need only rotate through alinear distance equal to one-half the length of strand collected.

In starting a packaging cycle on the forming or collection tube 2.3, thestrand is first started on the tube in the conventional manner ofwinding a few turns snugly thereabout, whereafter the loop formingoperation through the drum 2d and rotation of the tube 23 is initiatedto effect collection of the strand as it continues to be formed. As analternative means by which a packaging cycle may be initiated, thecollection tube 23 can be pro vided with an adhesive zone, such as at amargin of tube, which will adhesively secure the beginning of the strandupon its being .irected thereagainst. This method of start-up is rapidand has an advantage in that'it may be accomplished without requiringshutdown or appreciable slowup in operation of the apparatus.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which astrand 36 isformed by drawing a plurality of continuous fibers 32 from asource of molten glass 30 through a feeder Si by means of a pairofmeeting rotating wheels 34 and 35. The fibers are gathered into thestrand '36 over a gathering member 33 to which sizing fluid is appliedfrom a supply tube 37. The strand is introduced to the internalperiphery of a cylindrical loop forming drum 4% by a pair of jet blowers38 and 39 which coact with the drum to move the strand in its looped orhelical configuration within the cylinder for introduction in the formof loops 41 onto a collection tube 42.

The loops El are collected on the tube 42 in a manner similar to that ofthe embodiment of Figure l, with the exception that in this instance theloop forming drum 4b can be rotated in either direction coaxially .v iththe collection tube 42. The drum is suitably mounted for rotation onbearings and is driven by ring and pinion gears 43 and d4, respectivel'powered by a suitably mechanical power source. Rotation of the loopforming drum, performs dual functions cooperatively with the pneumaticjets of the blower 3b and '39 by forming the loops 4i and, in "addition,aiding movement of the loops through the drum since the frictionalretarding effects of the interior drum surface are less when the drum isrotating than when stationary.

Figure 4 shows still another embodiment of the present invention inwhich continuous fibers 62 are drawn from a feeder 61 associated with amolten glass supply source 69 and are gathered together and suppliedwith sizing fluid at a gathering member 63 from a size supply tube 67associated therewith. The'fibers are gathered into strand 66 which ispulled pneumatically by a blower 64 supplied with air over a supplytubeS to blow the strand 66 against a loop forming peg spinner. The pegspinner 68 has generally inclined radially extending fingers 69 arrangedfor successive passage transversely through the path of the strand 66 ina manner somewhat similar to that described and shown in Patent2,719,352, issued on October 4, 1955.

The spinner 68 is generally in the form of a ring or disk from whichfingers extend-singularly and radially out ward. The spinner is inclinedto the path of the strand 66 so that on rotation, the end of each fingerthereof passes in sweeping transverse relationship through the path ofthe strand and thereby successively interrupts movement of the strand'toform a series of loops between successive adjacent fingers thereof. Byrotating the spinner .68 at sufficiently high speeds, the loops formedbetween the ends of the fingers 69 are caused to be thrown off by thecentrifugal force-of the spinner and to acquire a generally helicalconfiguration comprising a series of loops 71 which move through spaceat a rate depending upon the rate of rotation of the spinner 63.

The loops of the helical configuration are directed in surroundingrelation about a collection tube 72 which is rotated todiminish the sizeof the loops and to form a package on the tube in the manner of theembodiments of Figures 1 and 2. In this arrangement, it is to be notedagain that the amount of strand wound on the collection tube 72 is ofalength considerably greater than the peripheral distance through whichthe collection tube 72 must move to effect collection of the strand.None of the parts effecting collection of the strand move through adistance equal tothe length of strand collected, nor at a rate as greatas the rate of collection of the strand.

Figure 5 illustrates another arrangement wherein loops 81 formed of astrand 76 drawn by a pair of coacting rotating wheels 74-and 75 arecollected on a packaging tube 82. The strand '76is driven in a generallystraight path below the pulling Wheels and is interrupted in its linearmotion .by amulti-spinner, loop forming unit consisting of two or morevertical-axis spinners 78 spaced about the path oftheistrand. lnFigure 5three spinners 78 are distributed an equal distance apart about the pathof the strand, each have a single strandengaging peg-or finger 79. Thefingers 79 .are of arcuate shape with a slight downward .and backwardbend :from their direction of rotation to facilitate release of loops ofstrand formed thereon. The spinners are rotated in synchronism so thatthe fingers strike the strand laterally in sequence one after another,120 apart in time. Upon being engaged by a finger of one of thespinners, the portion of strand engaged is moved laterally, while theportion of strand behind the point of engagement continues in a straightpath. Thus, a doubled back portion or loop of the strand is formed oneach lateral engagement. Rotation of the spinners is arranged to be atsuch speed that the doubled back :loops are spread and thrown outwardlyfor removal to produce a series of generally circular loops which form ahelix directed for deposition about the core of a collection tube 82.

The tube 82 is supported with its axis in vertical relation on asuitable rotary support under the spinners and is provided with a flaredbottom or end portion so that loops deposited about the core come torest over the flare. By this means, a package can be collected on thetube even if the tube is stationary. In most instances, however, it ismore desirable to rotate the collection tube in order to form a moresnug relationship of loops in the package.

The size of the loops ejected from the fingered spinners is controlledby the speed of rotation of the spinners if the rate of linear movementof the strand is held constant. The faster the rotation of the spinners,the smaller are the loops or coils. Conversely, the slower the spinnerspeed, the larger are the loops or coils. Thus, the loop sizes may becontrollably varied by regulating the speed of. rotation of thespinners. Accordingly, the order of pile-up of the loops on the core ofthe collection tube 82 may be controlled by varying the size of theloops to change the zones of deposition of individual loops on the flareof the tube and the portion of the package already collected thereon.Because the loops can be piled in orderly fashion on the collectiontube, the tube can be maintained stationary and still permit formationof a package thereon.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that many modifications of thepresent invention may be made and it is accordingly contemplated by theappended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising means for feeding a strand longitudinally in a generallystraight path, a rotatable collection surface adjacent to the line oftravel of said strand, means intermediate said path and collectionsurface for forming said strand into a generally coaxial series of loopsof sufficient size to encircle said collection surface, means fordirecting said loops about said surface, and means to rotationally drivesaid collection surface about an axis generally parallel to a centerline through said loops to diminish the size of each of the loops insequence for snug collection thereof over said surface.

2. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising means for feeding a strand longitudinally in a generallystraight path, a rotatable collection surface disposed adjacent to theline of travel of said strand, means for forming said strand into agenerally coaxial series of loops of sufficient size to encircle saidcollection surface, means for directing said loops about said surface,means for rotationally driving said collection surface about an axiscorresponding generally to a line through the center of said loops todiminish the size of each of the loops in said series for snugcollection thereof over said surface, and means for reciprocating saidsurface back and forth along its axis of rotation to distribute thestrand over said surface as it is collected.

3. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising means for feeding a strand longitudinally in a generallystraight path, a rotatable cylindrical collection surface disposedimmediately adjacent to the line of travel of said strand, means forcontinually collection surface about an axis generally parallel to acenter line through said loops to diminish the size of each of the loopsin said series for collection into a package over said surface.

4. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising means for feeding a strand longitudinally in a generallystraight path, a rotatable cylindrical collecting member adjacent to thepath of travel of said strand, loop forming means comprising an internalcylindrical tube between said path and said collecting member into whichsaid strand is introduced to effect formation of loops of the strand,said internal tube surface being greater in diameter than saidcollecting member to permit encirclement of loops formed therein aboutthe circumference of said drum, means for introducing the strand intosaid internal tube surface, means for rotationally driving said memberon an axis corresponding generally to a line through the center of saidloops to diminish the size of each of the loops in said series for snugcollection thereof on said member, and means for reciprocating saidmember along its axis of rotation within said internal tube surface toreceive the strand in distributed relation over said member.

5. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising means for feeding a strand longitudinally in a generallystraight path, a rotatable collecting member disposed adjacent to thepath of travel of said strand, means comprising an internal cylindricaltube surface between said path and said collecting member into whichsaid strand is introduced to effect formation of loops of the strand,said internal tube surface being greater in diameter than saidcollecting member to permit encirclement of loops formed therein aboutthe circumference of said member, at least one pneumatic blower disposedat the end of said tube into which said strand is introduced, saidblower being arranged to discharge a gaseous blast into said cylindricaltube surface in tangential and angular relation thereto to cause the gasemitted into said cylindrical surface to acquire a swirling actionwithin said cylindrical surface, thereby causing the strand introducedtherein to acquire a looped configuration, means for rotationallydriving said member on an axis corresponding generally to a line throughthe center of loops formed of said strand to diminish the size of eachin the order of their formation for snug collection thereof on saidmember.

6. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising strand feeding means for projecting a continuous, flexiblestrand linearly along a controlled path leading to a working zone, loopforming means comprising spinner type catchers spaced about the path ofsaid strand each including means for engaging and laterally displacingprogressively spaced portions of said continuous stand withoutinterfering with the movement of intermediate portions of said strand,means for operating said catchers such that each engages and interruptsmovement of said strand in sequence before any one re-engages the strandagain to interrupt its movement, whereby a loop of laterally displacedportions is formed in each cycle of operation of the loop forming means.

7. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising strand feeding means for projecting a continuous, flexiblestrand linearly along a controlled path leading to a working zone, loopforming means comprising strand catchers each rotatable on an axisgenerally parallel to said path and each having a generally radiallyextending pin, said catchers being spaced from each other and about saidpath so that the pin of each catcher crosses said path and engages andinterrupts the movement of progressively spaced portions of saidcontinuous strand as well as displaces the interrupted portionslaterally from said path without interfering with the movement ofintermediate portions of said strand,

means for operating said catchers in sequence such that each engagessaid strand before any re-engages the strand, whereby said strand iscaught and distributed about said path into looped configuration, and acollecting cylinder disposed below said catchers to receive the loops ofsaid strand.

8. Apparatus for packaging continuous flexible strands and the likecomprising strand feeding means for projecting a continuous, flexiblestrand linearly along a controlled path leading to a Working zone, loopforming means con1- prising strand catchers each rotatable on an axisgenerally parallel to said path and each having a pin extendinggenerally radially from its axis, said catchers being spaced from eachother and about said path so that the pin of each catcher crosses saidpath and engages and interrupts the movement of progressively spacedportions oi said continuous strand and displaces the interruptedportions laterally from said path without interfering with the movementof intermediate portions of said strand, means for operating saidcatchers in sequence such that each engages said strand before anyre-engages the strand, whereby said strand is caught and distributedabout said path into looped configuration, a rotatable collectingcylinder disposed below said catchers to receive the loops of saidstrand in coaxial relation, and means for rotating said collectingcylinder to diminish-the size of each loop in the order of its formationfor snug collection thereof on said cylinder.

9. A method for collecting a continuous flexible strand comprisingfeedingsaid strand longitudinally along a generally defined path to aWorking zone, interrupting the longitudinal movement of saidstrand toform loops there in in said zone, removing suoh loops from said zone ingenerally the same order as their formation, depositing said loops inencircling relation over a collection surface, and rotating said surfaceto diminish the size of said loops for collection thereof in snugrelation over said surface.

10. A method for collecting a continuous flexible strand comprisingfeeding said strand longitudinally along a generally defined path to aWorking zone, interrupting the longitudinal movement of said strand bylaterally displacing progressively spaced portions of said strand todifferent ones a given number of positions about said path as they entersaid zone while continuing the feeding of said strand into said zoneuntil the portions of said strand intermediate such retarded portions atleast approach such retarded portions, thereby forming seriallyconnected loops of said strand portions generally coaxial with the pathof said strand, removing such loops from said zone in generally the sameorder as their formation, depositing said loops in encircling relationover a rotatable collection surface, and rotating said surface todiminish, the size of said loops for collection thereof in snug relationover said surface.

No references cited.

